Strawberry Memoire
by MirrorFlower and DarkWind
Summary: Its been five years since Ichigo left with Masaya. The Mew Mews have all gone their sepearte ways. Ryou is alone with this mystery woman help him? Will Ichigo return or is she forever out of his reach?


**DarkWind: **Wow this is my first time in over seven months since I wrote a non-Star Trek story…WOW. This is for a challenge AnimeJuliet sent me so I figured its time I dusted off my Tokyo Mew Mew story again. Maybe for the last time, I don't know. We will just have to wait and see.

I hope you all enjoy this story it took me a few days to get an idea that I was happy enough to write. So please enjoy.

**Strawberry Memoire**

Five years. It has been five year since my Straw-, no not mine, never mine. Since Ichigo left for college. The café was empty now; all the Mew Mews have gone off to do their own thing. After Stra-Ichigo left nothing was the same.

Mint was the first to leave, just months after Ichigo left; she couldn't stand to be around the café without her best friend, though she would never admit to it. She was now exclusively practicing her dances, waiting to go on tour soon.

Zakuro was the next to leave, a week after Mint. Without Ichigo there was no reason for her to stay at the café anymore, to work there. Her job was calling her so one day she never showed up. All she does is model now, rarely talking to her old comrades and friends.

Lettuce and Pudding were the last to leave, sticking around for a whole year. Believing that Ichigo would return to the café at any time but as the months passed it was obvious that it would not be so. So they left, going back to their lives before the Mew Mew project. Lettuce was now studying at a local college while Pudding was still in school.

Soon it was only Keiichiro and I left. We kept the café open every day after school. I think Keiichiro believes that everything will right itself in time. That the Mew Mews will reunite again and end up one big happy family. I know that will never happen. Not while Stra-Ichigo is gone. Gone off to college with that idiot Masaya, believing that her destiny was with him.

She left without telling them where she was going away to. In the five years she has been gone I haven't received one letter or phone call from her. Neither has Keiichiro but he still holds on to hope. Ever optimistic.

I glanced out the window, today was the five year anniversary that Str-Ichigo left me, no us. I sighed, dragging myself out of bed; the café was closed today since it was Sunday. Keiichiro went to meet up with the old gang. They never lost contact. I couldn't stand to be near them…it just reminded me of what I had lost. What I never had.

As I walked towards the kitchen, I walked though the empty café, I smiled slightly. All the fond memories of Straw-Ichigo overwhelming me. Ichigo smiling up at me, arguing me about a pay raise, all those little things. I never thought it would end. I never thought she would leave m-us. I have never dated another, I never even tried. I knew my heart belonged to that crazy cat girl. She had my heart and when she left she took it with her…I never got that part of me back. I never will.

I happened to glance out the window, a young woman with long brown hair stood outside the café, peering in. As if looking for something inside the café. Her chocolate colored eyes widening a bit as she spotted me staring at her before a shy smile spread out across her face. She slowly waved at me. I smiled gently back, easily hiding my pain as I walked to the door, opening it for her.

"Hello Miss, the café is closed for today," I said, smiling down at her, my mask firmly in place.

"Oh, I didn't mean to bother you. I…use to come here every day," she said, smiling brightly at me, her chocolate eyes sparkling. "If I remember correctly it use to be open everyday, right?"

"That is correct but now its only open on weekdays now," I said kindly, she seamed familiar but I didn't know why or where I knew her from. She must have been one of the many girls who visited the café over the years.

"I see," she said sadly, her eyes filled with sadness as she looked into the empty café.

"Is there anything I can help you with though? I'm not very busy today," I asked kindly. I couldn't stand to see the sparkle in her eyes die.

"Yes, as I said before I use to come here all the time when I was still in middle and high school," she said, her brown eyes locking on me. "You see, Ryou, I left something here a long time ago and only now have I come back for it."

"It has to be gone by now, Miss," I said, puzzled at how she knew my name.

"I know but I just had to check," she said, sadness surrounding her. She bowed her head, hiding her eyes from view. "Guess I should just give up then. Sorry for bugging you on your day off." She smiled brokenly up at me before turning to leave.

"Wait!" I called out, reaching out for her arm, keeping her from leaving. She slowly turned towards me, a questioning look in her eyes. I slowly released her arm, blushing slightly. "Sorry about that, I just…. You seem so alone and sad and I just want to know what it is you left here."

"May I come in? My story is a long one," She said smiling slightly, the sadness still wrapped around her.

"Sure come on in. I'll get us some coffee and something to drink," I said leading her to a small table. She smiled brightly at me before I left, going to the kitchen to receive some leftover pastries from the week, quickly making some coffee for us. She smiled brightly up at me as I returned, the sadness lifting slightly.

"Thank you," She whispered, picking up a pastry and slowly eating it. As if afraid it would disappear if she wasn't careful. I used this opportunity to get a closer look at her. She was beautiful; her long brown hair falling in waves down her back, her chocolate eyes so full of life, there was a small scar on her left hand, so fait you could barely see it. She smiled up at me as she finished, waiting for me to finish my pastry before she told me her story.

"So what is it you think you left here?" I asked, leaning back in my chair, keeping my eyes on her.

"I use to live here. Went to school here as well. I had great friends, more like sisters, a job, even if my boss was a jerk half the time but I made a terrible mistake. My boyfriend at the time was perfect. What every girl wanted. Charming, sweet, thoughtful, and strong. Every one wanted him and when I got him I was ecstatic! I never thought it would happen to me," she said sighing sadly, her eyes clouding over. I reached over and grabbed her hand, offering her some comfort. She smiled gently at me, her eyes watering slightly.

I smiled at her, gently rubbing her hands. She sounded so happy…what could have gone wrong. It seems she had the perfect love…just like Stra-Ichigo does.

"But the thing is I never loved him. Not truly anyway. I was in love with someone else and I didn't even know it! So I followed the guy I thought I loved away to college…I didn't realize till a few months after I left what I a huge mistake I had made, but by that time I was too far away and it was too late to fix it. I could have called him," she whispered, gripping my hand tightly as tears fell from her eyes, "but it didn't seem right to tell him over the phone…so I just held on till I could return home. You see, Ryou. The thing I left here all those years ago was my heart. I was hoping that it would still be here waiting for me."

"Why didn't you come back during summer breaks? You could have told him then?" I asked, curious as to what had kept her away for so long.

"No, I went to school during my breaks. I wanted to finish college as fast as I could so I could return to him and see if he still loved me, or even had any feelings for me remaining," she said, smiling weakly before locking her eyes with mine. "What about you? You seem to have a story as well. I would be happy to listen to it."

"Wha? What do you mean?" I asked, shocked.

"Your eyes, they look so sad. Something happened to the one you love, didn't it?" She asked gently, her chocolate eyes warm and inviting.

"Yes, something did," I whispered. For some reason I couldn't lie to this young woman. She was so warm, so full of trust and love that I couldn't stop from answering her.

"I would be happy to listen. Its better then keeping things bottled up, trust me I know," she said, her chocolate eyes shinning with wisdom beyond her years.

"I loved a girl, no that's not right I still love her. She left five years ago today with the love of her life to go to college and start a new life. She took my heart that day and I haven't heard from her since she left. None of us have, not even her old friends. It was after she left that everyone quit, now only Keiichiro and I remain here to run the café," I admitted, feeling lighter after talking about it to this strange woman. "I keep hoping that she will come back one day or I will wake up from this nightmare. I still love her so much and I never got a chance to tell her."

"I hope your love will come back," She said, a bright smile spreading across her face, lighting up the dark room. I was amazed, the sadness from her eyes dissipated only leaving happiness and love. "I hope you get your happily ever after with this girl." She stood up; grabbing her purse she had set on the table.

"You too," I said, standing to see her out the door.

"Thank you for everything…and for sharing your story with me," She whispered before leaving, disappearing into the park. I smiled after her, sending a silent thank you to her for listening to my story before turning back to the table to clean it up.

I quickly cleaned the table, suddenly wanting to go to Mint's house for the Mew Mew gathering. I had missed far too much already I would not miss another moment with my friends. No, my _family_.

My eyes were drawn to a small piece of paper that was carefully tucked under my guests coffee cup. Curious I picked it up; nearly dropping the dishes I was holding as I read it.

_Ryou, it has been far too long. Please meet with me at the place were I first transformed and saved the day._

_Strawberry_

"Ichigo," I breathed, rereading the note, making sure I wasn't hallucinating and this wasn't some kind of trick. The writing was undeniably Ichigo's, but how? How did it get here? The only one in the café this morning was that...woman.

I dropped everything I was carrying, running out the door, barely hearing it shatter as it hit the floor. I ran after the young woman who had not left the café five minutes ago, losing her trail all too soon. How did she _know_ Ichigo? _Was_ she Ichigo? I wondered as I decided to follow the notes advice and headed towards the stream where I had first meet Ichigo, my love, my heart.

"Ichigo, are you really here?" I whispered to the wind, running as fast as I could towards that special spot. The spot that the red-brown haired girl had stolen my heart. The place where I found perfection and lost it at the same time.

I came to a stop, panting, my eyes scanning the clearing. Searching for some sign of my lost love. The clearing was empty and at that moment I believe it to all be an elaborate trick. Ichigo was with Masaya, she would never return. The darkness from this morning rising once again, threatening to consume me.

"Ryou, I'm…happy to see you again," came a quiet whisper from above me.

I glanced up, a small smile spreading across my face. Just above me, on the same branch I had carried her to all those years ago to save her from the parasite was the same brown haired woman from this morning. Her back pressed into the tree as she gazed outward at the world. The world she had given her life to save.

"Ichigo, is it really you?" I breathed, walking till I was standing besides the tree, trying to catch a glimpse of those warm chocolate eyes I had missed so much these past five years.

"Yeah, who else would it be?" she asked, slowly turning her head to face me. Those warm chocolate eyes locking with my crystal blue ones.

"Kish, maybe Pudding trying to cheer me up," I breathed, not believing that she was back. Finally back.

"It's me Ryou. I'm sorry it took me so long to return," Ichigo whispered, tears running down her face. "I have missed you so much. You have no idea."

"I think I do," I said, a warm smile spreading across my face before I jumped up, landing in front of her. Gently cupping her cheek with my hand, wiping away her tears. "I have missed you so much Strawberry."

"You don't know how happy I am to hear that name again," Ichigo whispered, leaning into my hand, her small delegate ones coming up to hold it in place as she kept her eyes locked on me.

"I can tell," I whispered, finally giving into temptation and pulling her into my arm, holding her tight against me. "Gods Ichigo, I have missed you so much. I love you, don't ever leave me again."

"I won't Ryou, I…love you too," Ichigo whispered, tears of happiness falling from her eyes, her hands gripping me tight, refusing to let me go.

"Strawberry…that story…back at the café…" I trailed off, wondering how to ask her.

"Was it true? Yes. All of it was true Ryou, I knew it was a mistake as soon as I left but I couldn't disappoint my parents so I did everything I could to finish early. So I could return to you," Ichigo admitted, releasing me enough so that I could search her gaze for the truth. All I could see in her eyes was her love for me and her sadness that we were parted for so long. I leaned forward kissing her forehead gently. Waves of happiness overwhelming me. "What about you? Was your story true?"

"Yes, every word of it. I still love you, you stupid crazy Strawberry. I could never stop," I admitted, smiling as her face lit up once again. Our love for each other wrapping us in its warm embrace.

"I never thought I would have this chance. I was so sure you moved on. I thought that my second chance was gone forever," Ichigo admitted, blushing slightly as she leaned deeper into Ryou's arms. "But still, I had to try."

"I never gave up, Strawberry. Somehow I knew, deep inside of myself, that we would be together someday. I would wait for an eternity if necessary," I said, pulling back slightly, smirking as her cat ears appeared on her head. "I see your cat genes are still with you." I gently tweaked her tear, laughing as it flicked away.

"You too," She said, smiling gently at me as she traced the Mew mark on my neck. "Gods I love you so much Ryou. I'm sorry it took me so long to tell you."

"You're with me now, Strawberry. That's all that matters," I whispered before pressing my lips gently to hers. Our first kiss as a couple. "This is the start of something new, the start of the rest of our lives. I will never let you go again."

"Me either, Ryou. We belong together. I have never felt this way with anyone else, only you," Ichigo admitted, a gently blush on her face.

I smiled, leaning down to kiss her soft lips once more before gathering her in my arms as I leaned back against the tree, my arms wrapped around her waist. For now we would enjoy each others company. There was plenty of time to get reunited with the rest of the Mew Mews, for now this moment belongs to the two of us. I smiled down at her, gently rubbing her ears as she purred contently in my arms. I knew it was right to wait for her and now that I had her I would never let her go. She is mine and she always will be. This is the start of the rest of our lives.

**The End**

**DarkWind: **Oh wow, the emotions just poured out of me, I cried while I was writing this! I hope you all enjoyed it! I had a blast writing this! Please remember to review and tell me if you liked it!


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